Gabbert throws 2 picks as Jaguars offense sputters in loss to Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert, bottom, reacts after getting sacked in the first quarter of NFL football game against the Houston Texans Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011, in Houston. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)

“That’s an excuse,” he said. “I don’t like to make excuses. This team doesn’t like to make excuses. That just shows that you’re a weak person. We don’t make excuses here. We expect to perform at our best week in and week out regardless of the circumstances.”

Gabbert threw two interceptions and the NFL’s worst offense gained just 174 yards in a 24-14 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday.

The loss was Jacksonville’s sixth in the last seven games and has Gabbert unhappy that he can’t get the offense going.

“We’ve just got to execute,” said Gabbert, the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft. “We had opportunities. Of course I’ve got to protect the football and eliminate turnovers.”

Arian Foster rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown and Matt Schaub threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score for Houston (5-3), off to its best eight-game start. The Texans also took one more step toward the franchise’s first division title and playoff berth by improving to 3-0 in the AFC South.

The Jaguars were disappointed that they couldn’t gain ground on the Texans in the division standings.

“We thought we could move closer, but now we’re back to the drawing board,” receiver Jason Hill said. “We have a bye week to heal up and hopefully we’ll come back strong.”

Houston rushed 39 times for 156 yards and has won 28 of its last 31 games when rushing at least 30 times. The Texans have outscored three division opponents by a total score of 99-28.

The Jaguars (2-6) couldn’t carry momentum from their surprising 12-7 win over Baltimore on Monday night. Maurice Jones-Drew scored with 5:15 left, but the Texans used nearly the rest of regulation to set up Neil Rackers’ 39-yard field goal.

Gabbert, making his sixth career start, completed 10 of 30 passes for 97 yards. He left briefly in the first quarter with bruised ribs, but said after the game that he was OK.

“We’ve struggled on offense this year in our passing game,” Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said. “Everybody is aware of that. We’re going to keep hearing about it until we do something about it to make it better. Right now it’s not very threatening.”

Jones-Drew believes Jacksonville’s problems shouldn’t all be blamed on Gabbert.

“He’s doing a lot of great things,” Jones-Drew said. “We have to continue to give him time in the pocket. We have to catch the ball when he throws it. The quarterback is only as good as the players around him. So obviously, if he’s not doing well, we’re not doing well. So we’ve got to continue to work and find a way to fix this.”

The Texans got off to another fast start, scoring on their opening series for the fifth time. Schaub went 4 for 5 and then sprinted for a 2-yard touchdown with 8:21 left in the first quarter.

Jacksonville’s sixth-ranked defense held Baltimore to 34 yards rushing Monday night, but Houston matched that total on its first three possessions.

Gabbert was hurt on Jacksonville’s first series. Forced to scramble, he slid awkwardly at the end of an 11-yard run and was hit by safety Glover Quin and linebacker Brian Cushing.

Trainers helped Gabbert off the field, and Luke McCown replaced him. McCown was benched after throwing four interceptions in a 32-3 loss to the New York Jets in Week 2.

Gabbert returned on Jacksonville’s next possession, then threw five straight incompletions. But the Texans’ offense bogged down, too, failing to convert three consecutive third downs.

A slick play by Jacksonville’s defense midway through the second quarter created the Jaguars’ best scoring chance of the game.

Two snaps later, Gabbert threw a short TD pass to Hill, Jacksonville’s first touchdown since the third quarter of a 17-13 loss to Pittsburgh two weeks ago.

The Jaguars were lucky to be tied at halftime after producing only 113 yards in the half.

Jacoby Jones returned a punt to the Jaguars 44 early in the third quarter, and Schaub threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Joel Dreessen.

Jason Allen intercepted Gabbert’s pass to Mike Sims-Walker on the first play of the fourth quarter, and the Texans stretched the lead on Foster’s 4-yard touchdown run.

Houston seemed to have the game in hand until Ben Tate fumbled, and safety Dwight Lowery recovered and returned to the Texans 41. Jacksonville moved inside the 5, and Jones-Drew scored to cut the deficit to 21-14.

Schaub completed a 30-yard pass to Owen Daniels and Foster ran 14 yards before the two-minute warning. Rackers’ field goal ended the scoring.

Notes: Jacksonville had one first down and one completion on three possessions in the third quarter. ... Jones-Drew finished with 18 carries for 63 yards.

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